Happy Tail: Max’s mix adds up to a great pet

byJoan, staff writer

Max is a mix. His vet suggested that he looks a lot like a Bernese Mountain Dog , and that makes sense because he comes from a part of Kentucky that has traditionally used this breed to guard livestock. But his adopters, Lorie and Don Chesnut of Lexington, Ky., think Maxim, to use his formal name, has some Collie or Border Collie in him. They solve the puzzle by calling him their Bernese Mountain Collie.

The couple began their search for a dog to adopt on Petfinder and found Max listed by Barktown Rescue in Bardstown, Ky. Lorie describes him as “one of the most loving, smartest and comical dogs” they have ever had.

Max is no lie-around-the-house slouch. After all, no matter what his breed mix, they all come from the working classes. He loves getting outdoors, and the couple takes advantage of Lexington’s Legacy Trail and other local parks for daily walks.

Besides daily outings, Max loves kids. “He is never happier than when a child wants to pet him or a group of children admires him,” Chesnut says. He closes his eyes and basks in the pleasure of it.
Max is one lucky canine “kid.”